Reply to Deirdre McCloskey and Stephen Ziliak on Statistical Significance

Abstract

Deirdre McCloskey and Stephen Ziliak have graciously replied to my essay titled “Ziliak and McCloskey on Statistical Significance: An Assessment.” Only a few of McCloskey and Ziliak’s extensive criticisms are valid or partially valid, and these relate to points that can readily be dropped without materially weakening my conclusions. In particular, McCloskey and Ziliak do not engage my estimate of how often or how egregiously economists confuse statistical significance and oomph.